About the International MoonBase Summit

The International MoonBase Summit (IMS) will convene a team of leading scientists, educators and entrepreneurs, from space agencies and industries worldwide, to advance the development and implementation of an international base on the Moon.

The goal is to create an action plan that will culminate with the building of Moon Base prototypes on Earth, followed by a sustainable settlement on the Moon. The IMS delegates will focus on identifying essential resources and technological capabilities required to enable and sustain lunar-based operations. Through the promotion of international collaborations, and public-private partnerships we can reduce costs, enhance benefits and accelerate timetables for lunar settlements.

We will build on discussions and recommendations from the Lunar Exploration and Analysis Group (LEAG), the European Lunar Symposium, the International Space Development Conference, the NewSpace Symposium, the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), and other space forums worldwide, to formulate an integrated strategy for establishing the proposed multinational lunar base. We also will demonstrate why Hawaii is one of the best places on Earth to develop a prototype Moon Base.

The IMS will conclude with the formation of an International MoonBase Alliance (IMA), comprised of representatives from our Summit working groups. IMA will continue to pursue the resources and milestones identified during the Summit, as well as oversee and facilitate the design and development of a prototype lunar base in Hawaii to both enable and support international operations on the Moon.

International MoonBase Alliance

Vision

Humankind will become a multi-planetary species. The International MoonBase Alliance is the vanguard of the next great wave of human migration. We must go with humility, respect and aloha. Only with this spirit, will we voyage to and settle on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Mission

The mission of the International MoonBase Alliance is to unite Space Agencies, Space Companies and Humankind to build sustainable settlements on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Meet Henk Rogers

Henk Rogers is a Dutch born, Computer Game Designer / Entrepreneur. He is best known for transforming the tech sector in Hawaii.

A near death experience enabled Henk to rethink the rest of his life. He is now focused on trying to end the use of carbon based fuel and making a backup of life on Earth. To this end he founded and Chairs the Blue Planet Foundation, dedicated to ending the use of carbon based fuel. He has also taken the position of Chairman of PISCES (the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems) to move mankind towards becoming a multi-planetary species and is the Chairman of the International MoonBase Summit (IMS).

At the recent ISDC (International Space Development Conference), held in St. Louis) Henk offered his presentation on “How to build a Moon Base”

Historical thinking has been to find a lava tube on the moon and inflate a structure within it. The complexity involved with finding, exploring and operating in lunar lava tubes combined with the low probability that suitable lava tubes would be found near desirable locations calls for a new way of thinking. The advent of new technologies means we have an opportunity to come up with a new approach. A Moon Base could be excavated and built near a prime location, for example, near the a source of ice / water. New building techniques using 3D Printed / Sintered Regolith and Artificially Intelligent Robots could be employed to build a new kind of structure using an innovative new construction technique.

IMS Organizers

Henk Rogers, IMS Chairman

Henk B. Rogers is a Dutch-born entrepreneur, clean energy and space exploration visionary who has dedicated the past decade of his career to the research, development, advocacy and implementation of renewable energy sources in his adopted home of Hawaiʻi and beyond. Now he turns to his next Mission, to make a backup of life on Earth. Rogers spent his early career in Japan as a video game designer and publisher, Rogers went on to revolutionize the video game industry by securing the rights for the blockbuster Tetris. Rogers founded Blue Planet Energy Systems and developed Blue Ion, an industry-leading battery technology with proprietary system architecture and energy management software.

Rogers is Chairman of the Paciﬁc International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES). He owns HI-SEAS, a 1,200 sq. ft. Mars habitat where 6 crew live in Mars-like conditions for up to 12 months. He plans to be the catalyst to building of planet human habitats.

Jim Crisafulli, IMS Principal Organizer

Currently, the Principal Organizer for the International MoonBase Summit, Jim joined the Hawaiʻi State Government in 1988 to serve as Space Program Projects Manager for the State Oﬃce of Space Industry (until its closure in May,1995), and subsequently served as Science & Technology Oﬃcer and Research & Development Coordinator for the State’s Dept. of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT).

Coordinator of DBEDT’s Oﬃce of Aerospace Development (OAD), Jim worked with various municipal, state, federal, and international agencies and institutions to promote innovative applications of advanced space-related technologies, with special emphasis on satellite telecommunications and space-based remote sensing networks, space-based power systems, disaster management networks, and commercial space launch activities to enable future robotic and human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Dan Bland, (Ret), NASA

Joining NASA in ’66 as an Apollo CM Instructor, I trained A1-15 crews at KSC. Relocating to JSC in ’71, I worked with A16-17 crews, other eng’s & U.S.G.S. scientists developing lunar surface EVA procedures. I then cont’d at JSC developing ﬂight ops procedures for the Apollo-Soyuz msn. I served as Shuttle Flight Data File Mngr, ISS Skunk Works member & ISS Ops Task Force member. I managed the Lvl II ISS Ops Rqmts Dev Oﬀ & later supported the HQ Lunar/Mars Exploration Oﬀ. From ’90-’94, I managed NASA’s contract w/SPACEHAB, Inc.(SHI). Leaving NASA in ’94, I became SVP of Flight Ops at SHI. I joined JAMSS America, Inc.(JAI) in ’06 as President. My JAI work included JAXA ISS support; Cygnus mission support to Orbital Sciences; & PI for the Global AIS on Space Station (GLASS) payload. GLASS downlinked AIS ship tracking data to the U of HI and many global maritime community orgs. “Now retired, I am excited to continue my involvement with human space initiatives such as the International Moon Base Summit.”

Judith Fox-Goldstein, IMS Implementation Director

IMS Implementation Director, Judith Fox-Goldstein, has a distinguished career in Organizational Management, Administration, Leadership, Program Development and Public Relations.

Named as “One of Hawaiʻi’s Top 10 Women Business Leaders”, an Athena Recipient, Minority Advocate for the Island of Hawaiʻi, Conference Professional of the Year and Past President of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce and Destination Hilo, Judith established herself as a leader in the ﬁeld of Scientiﬁc Conference Management, Educational Tourism, Higher Educational Administration, Mentorship and Entrepreneurialism.

Founding Director, & administrator, of the nationally acclaimed UH Hilo Conference Center, & the award-winning Hawaiʻian EDventure, (an international STEM &Cultural Enrichment Travel Program) Judith’s expertise in communication, public speaking and international community building, spearheaded both the Conference Center & the “EDventure Program” into the international spotlight. With more than 15 years of experience in the management of Aerospace conferences, Fox-Goldstein was well prepared to direct the implementation of the International MoonBase Summit.

Passionate about the concept of “Servant Leadership”, Fox-Goldstein encouraged the professional development & training of staﬀ members and resources who worked in collaboration with programs under her direction at the University. Committed to mentorship, & vesting in the next generation, Judith continues to foster talented students as they develop their potential & commitment to service.

Former Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, & the ﬁrst recipient of the CFEE (Certiﬁed Festival & Events Executive”) in Hawaiʻi, Judith continues to celebrate excellence and passion for service. An accomplished public speaker, writer and mediator, Fox-Goldstein holds a B.A in Communication and Theatre Arts, a CFEE and continues her extensive graduate work in Higher Educational Administration and Gerontology.

Bruce Pittman is currently working as the Chief System Engineer in the NASA Space Portal Oﬃce at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. In this position, he supports the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters on programs ranging from orbital applications of the International Space Station and other orbiting commercial facilities to low cost, reliable access to space, reusable space infrastructure as well as cis-lunar commercialization.

The Space Portal’s latest initiative is a plan for returning to the Moon using public/private partnerships. Bruce also leads the Space Portal support of the Frontier Development Lab summer study program with the SETI Institute.

In addition to his work at NASA Pittman is also the Senior Vice President and Senior Operating Office of the National Space Society (NSS) as well as a member of the Board of Directions. He also an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics )AIAA) where he is also the chairman of the Commercial Space Group.

Mr. Pittman received the NASA Exceptional Public Service medal as well as the Service To The Frontier Award from the Space Frontier Foundation and the Chris Pancratz Memorial Space Activist of the Year Award from the NSS.

Stephen Day, President, International Ventures Associates

Mr. Day brings over thirty years of experience in sales, marketing, strategy, and general management in the telecommunications, chemical, textiles and electronics industry in the US, European and Japanese markets (IVA LTD, COMSAT, DuPont and Courtaulds).

He was CEO of International Ventures Associates (IVA LTD.), a private business strategy ﬁrm in Washington, DC that advised large, medium and small telecommunications and IT companies in major markets worldwide.

Mr. Day has been a member of two NASA advisory boards; was chairman of JUSTSAP, the Japan-U.S. Science, Technology and Space Applications organization; is a member of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Corporation Board plus other boards, and was an adjunct professor at the Kogod business school at American University and Delaware University. He has two degrees (UK & U.S).

Rob Kelso, Founder/CEO, Kelso Aerospace

Founder and CEO for Kelso Aerospace, and member of the Board of Directors for the National Space Society and also the NASA Alumni League, Kelso is a 37- year veteran of NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), Kelso formerly held a position as the NASA Shuttle Flight Director at NASA’s famed Mission Control Center. Since November 2012, Kelso has served as the Executive Director at the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES).

Kelso’s career in flight operations spans 21 years, beginning in April of 1981 as a flight controller on STS-1. In February of 1988, Kelso was selected to the Flight Director “Class of 1988” following the Challenger disaster, which took the life of Hawaiʻi’s Ellison Onizuka. He directed 25 Space Shuttle missions during the 1980s and 1990s.

During his time in Flight Control, Kelso was instrumental in launching Department of Defense (DoD) spacecraft aboard the Space Shuttle, beginning with overseeing the first DoD launch from Mission Control while Ellison Onizuka served as the Astronaut in the Shuttle cockpit in January 1985 for STS-51C. He also served as NASA’s Mission Director, responsible for the launch and delivery of the Chandra X-Ray telescope, the last of the great NASA observatories sent into space by NASA.

After leaving the Flight Director Office at NASA JSC, Kelso served on JSC’s senior staff as Deputy Director for Safety and Mission Assurance, responsible for directing safety and quality activities supporting manned space flight. One of Kelso’s last roles at NASA was leading efforts to preserve and protect the Apollo lunar landing sites on the Moon.

Kelso has been the recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, and NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in physics, and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Dr. Rasky is an internationally recognized expert on advanced entry systems and thermal protection materials. He has developed his expertise working five years for the U.S. Air Force and more than 20 years for NASA. In the 1990’s, he and his research colleagues at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., invented a heat-shield material called Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) that has subsequently been used on several NASA as well as private industry spacecraft. For this achievement, Rasky received the NASA Inventor of the Year Award for 2007 – the first ever for NASA Ames.

In 2009, Rasky completed a one-year Interagency Personnel Assignment (IPA) with the Space Grant Education and Enterprise Institute, Inc., San Diego, Calif., where he served as a senior research Fellow supporting a number of emerging space companies and other organizations. One of these companies was Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, Calif., also known as SpaceX. Rasky spent considerable time at SpaceX providing expert consultation about the design and development of the heat-shield for their Dragon spacecraft. As a result, SpaceX chose PICA as the heat shield material for the spacecraft. On Dec. 8, 2010, the Falcon-9 rocket carried the Dragon capsule with its SpaceX fabricated PICA-X heat shield into space. It survived the launch and re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere; consequently, the mission was considered an enormous success.

In addition to the SpaceX Dragon capsule, Rasky has made significant contributions to flight hardware used on eight NASA missions, including the NASA Stardust comet sample return mission. The Stardust return capsule used a PICA heat-shield that enabled the mission, and was the fastest entry ever by a man-made object at Earth. It is now on display as part of the “Milestones of Flight” exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. PICA also is being used for the primary heatshield for the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) lander mission.

Today, Rasky is the director and co-founder of the Space Portal at the NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, Calif. The Space Portal has a mission to “be a friendly front door for emerging and non-traditional space companies.” Through their initiatives and collaborations, the Space Portal has had a significant role in the establishment of several notable and successful NASA programs, including the Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems (COTS) program, the Innovative Lunar Demonstration Data (ILDD) program, and the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) program.

Rasky also is the recipient of the Senior Professional Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, the NASA Exceptional Achievement Award, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 12 NASA Group Awards, and eight Space Act Awards. He has six patents, 64 publications, and is an associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a senior member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Robin Kealoha Black, IMS Coordinator/Technical Advisor

Detail oriented, thorough, dedicated and task-oriented, Robin Black has always thrived in an ambiance of “organized chaos” as she brings clarity, creativity and organization to every project she undertakes. A consummate professional, Black utilizes her communication skills, patience and sense of ‘pono’ (balance) in all her professional endeavors. A skilled teacher and mentor, Black is now serving in the capacity as Coordinator for the IMS.

Included in her lists of achievements, Robin has dedicated much of her time to the coordination of Big Island live events such as the Slack Key Guitar Festival & traditional events such as Downtown Hilo’s Black & White Night, Hilo Chinese New Year, and the Festival for King Kalakaua at Kalakaua Park.

Black, a Hilo native, served as the Big Island Film Commissioner, Robin represented Hawaiʻi County at industry trade shows and coordinated off-island marketing and promotion efforts. Robin published the first Big Island Production Resources Directory, and gained entry into the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI). Her most notable project was the feature film WATERWORLD. She also served as Location Coordinator for Jason Foundation for Education Expeditions Jason VI & Jason XII, interfaced with Argonauts, USGS, NPS and the Jason film crew. Responsible for the comprehensive coordination for all the logistics, Robin facilitated the production of 60 live broadcasts viewed by elementary and high school students.

An experienced technology teacher, Black taught application software at TRI Computer Training Center before joining the UHH Conference Center staff in 2002 as a Computer Database Specialist. Robin coordinated the on-site presentations, organized the publishing of the conference proceedings and abstracts and developed an organized structure for registration that allowed for a flawless registration process.

Black grew up on the UHH campus as the daughter of faculty academics. Learning the language of science, diversity and communication, early on, Robin developed a strong appreciation of science, culture & technology. “One of my greatest privileges continues to be the experiences I have working beside some of the most incredible minds on the forefront of science, engineering and technology. It remains a privilege to contribute to this next mission of Moon, Mars and Beyond.”

Michael Goldstein, IMS Logistics Advisor

Former President of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, a business leader for over 35 years, a major Flower Grower on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island, Oﬃcer and Board Member of multiple committees, Goldstein has always been a strong proponent of the Space Program.

Dedicated to the premise that “Privatization will bring us to Tomorrow and Beyond”, Goldstein’s passion for space exploration goes back to the days of the iconic 1950 movie “Destination Moon” and President Kennedy’s space exploration initiatives and vision.

Goldstein has been in attendance at many Aerospace Conferences since 2001 including JUSTSAP, PISCES and the Next Giant Leap (Directed by Jim Crisafulli and coordinated by Judith Fox-Goldstein.) As logistics advisor for the IMS, Goldstein provides input and his business perspective on the planning and implementation of IMS. With a strong background in operational management, marketing, brochure development and business his contributions have been invaluable. “Going back to Human Space Exploration is critical to our survival. Establishment of permanent habitats on the Moon, Mars & beyond is the next reasonable step. Eventually, we’ll need more than Earth’s resources to sustain humanity.”

John Hamilton, IMS Student Coordinator

Faculty in the Physics & Astronomy Dept. Univ. of Hawaiʻi-Hilo. Currently Co-I on two NASA PSTAR-Planetary Science & Technology from Analog. Research grants: BASALT-Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains, Conops Development for Future Human Exploration of Mars & SUBSEA-Subsea Ultramafic and Basaltic Science and Exploration Analog. He was directly responsible for the logistics & execution for 3 NASA In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) analog field tests operated by PISCES @ UHH: 2008 Resolve mission, 2010 International (NASA/CSA/ESA) Lunar Surface Operations ISRU Utilization Test & PI for 2012 Resource Prospector Lunar Polar Mission. He has received 3 NASA Group Achievement Awards for this work and several NASA Certificates of Appreciation for Mars analog work on Mauna Kea and judging at the NASA KSC Robotic Mining Competition. He has also run field campaigns for the Google Lunar X-Prize teams. He served successively as Research Manager, Deputy Director and Director of PISCES prior to its move into DBEDT. Hamilton had an experiment on Skylab prior earning degrees with Honors at Univ. of Texas-Austin, BS Physics & BA Astronomy. Following his MS Astronomy degree from Univ. Hawaiʻi Manoa, he began a career in observational astronomy at Mees Solar Observatory and LURE Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment on Haleakalā, then moved to the premier high-altitude site of Mauna Kea. There he worked at the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF-3m), Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope (4m) and Gemini Observatory (8m, Inc. Gemini South, Cerro Pachon, Chile). While at UH-Hilo, Hamilton has taught over 27 distinct courses in Physics and Astronomy, including special topics on Space Exploration and served as department chair in 2006. He was awarded the UH system 2017 Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. His UH-Hilo Astrogeology group has proposed 2 sites for the Mars Human Landing/Exploration Zones workshop and has priority data from MRO.

Josh Moore, IMS Program Assistant/Volunteer

Josh Moore is the volunteer Program Assistant for the IMS summit. Since he was a young boy, building the Discovery Space Shuttle out of Lego, he has always had a fascination with what lies beyond our small blue planet. After pursuing mathematical and physical sciences at school, Josh graduated with a Masters in Physics with Astrophysics from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. His passion for space science became more of a hobby as he moved to Los Angeles on a journey of self-discovery. After exploring the wonders of the west coast, Josh now lives and works in London, running transformational projects for a large telecommunications company. Aﬀorded the chance to get involved with the International Moonbase Summit, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands; space exploration will always be an area of inspiration, certainly more so than maintaining the health of the phone network in England. Josh is very excited about the day our Moonbase becomes a reality, and feels very privileged to play even a small role in creating that future for mankind.